Meet Shanti Hubbard-Bennett, a 14-year-old IndyKids reporter from Los Angeles, Calif.
For as long as she can remember, Shanti has wanted to be a journalist. She loves doing research and writing about what she discovers. Her goal as a journalist is always to share the truth and to help readers consider new points of view. When she’s not writing, she’s riding horses and practicing contemporary dance.
As a young journalist, what topics are you most passionate about, and why?
I am most interested in exposing the truth in my writing. From environmental issues to social inequality, there are a lot of injustices that need to be exposed in this world. I like giving people the chance to learn and to grow — hopefully my writing helps young people become activists.
Can you share something you’ve learned from your experience at IndyKids?
My experience at IndyKids has made me realize that my dream of majoring in journalism in college is possible. I’ve learned that writing can be a community full of amazing different people who have the same goals as me. At school, writing isn’t optional, but when you choose to join a place like IndyKids, then those people are choosing to write.
How do you think being a kid reporter contributes to raising awareness and promoting positive change in your community or the world?
I think being a kid reporter is the best kind of reporter. Once we grow up, we will be the ones to make the decisions in this world. As a kid reporter, I get to help shine a light on what kind of world we have to take on, and that feels very important. It’s also inspiring to report on who is helping and what’s going right.
